Memory device, laminated semiconductor substrate and method of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A memory device has a laminated chip package and a controller chip. In the laminated chip package, a plurality of memory chips are laminated. An interposed chip is laminated between the laminated chip package and the controller chip. The memory chips have a plurality of first wiring electrodes. The interposed chip has a plurality of second wiring electrodes. The second wiring electrodes are formed with a common arrangement pattern common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller which are formed in the controller chip. The controller chip is laid on the interposed chip.

This is a Division of application Ser. No. 12/949,279 filed Nov. 18, 2010. The disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a memory device using a laminated chip package, a laminated semiconductor substrate for manufacturing the memory device and a method of manufacturing the same.

Related Background Art

In recent years, electronic devices such as cellular phones and notebook personal computers need to be reduced in weight and improved in performance. With such needs, higher integration of electronic components used for the electronic devices has been required. Further, the higher integration of electronic components has been required also for increase in capacity of a semiconductor memory device.

Recently, System in Package (hereinafter referred to as a “SIP”) has attracted attention as a highly integrated electronic component. The SIP is a device created by stacking a plurality of LSIs and mounting them in one package, and a SIP using the three-dimensional mounting technique of laminating a plurality of semiconductor chips has received attention recently. Known as such a SIP is a package having a plurality of laminated semiconductor chips, that is, a laminated chip package. The laminated chip package has an advantage that speed up of operation of circuits and reduction in stray capacitance of wiring become possible because the length of the wiring can be reduced as well as an advantage of capability of high integration.

Known as the three-dimensional mounting techniques for manufacturing the laminated chip package include a wire bonding system and a through electrode system. The wire bonding system is a system of laminating a plurality of semiconductor chips on a substrate and connecting a plurality of electrodes formed on each of the semiconductor chips and external connecting terminals formed on the substrate by wire bonding. The through electrode system is a system of forming a plurality of through electrodes in each of the laminated semiconductor chips and realizing wiring between the respective semiconductor chips by the through electrodes.

The wire bonding system has a problem of a difficulty in reducing the spaces between the electrodes in a manner that the wires are not in contact with each other, a problem of a difficulty in speeding up the operation of circuits because of a high resistance value of wires, and a problem of a difficulty in reducing the thickness.

Though the above-described problems in the wire bonding system are solved in the through electrode system, the through electrode system has a problem of increased cost of the laminated chip package because many processes are required for forming the through electrodes in each of the semiconductor chips.

Conventionally known methods of manufacturing the laminated chip package are those disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,588 (referred also to as patent document 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,127,807 B2 (referred also to as patent document 2), for example. In the patent document 1, the following manufacturing method is described. In this manufacturing method, first, a plurality of semiconductor chips cut out of a wafer are embedded in an embedding resin. Then, a plurality of leads to be connected to the semiconductor chips are formed to create a structure called Neo-Wafer. Subsequently, the Neo-Wafer is cut to create a plurality of structures called Neo-chips each including the semiconductor chip, the resin surrounding the semiconductor chip, and the plurality of leads. In this event, end faces of the plurality of leads connected to the semiconductor chips are exposed on side surfaces of the Neo-chips. Then, a plurality of kinds of Neo-chips are laminated to create a laminated body. In this laminated body, the end faces of the plurality of leads connected to the semiconductor chips at the respective layers are exposed on the same side surface of the laminated body.

Keith D. Gann, “Neo-Stacking Technology”, HDI Magazine, December, 1999 (referred also to as non-patent document 1) describes that a laminated body is formed by the same method as the manufacturing method described in Patent document 1 and wiring is formed on two side surfaces of the laminated body.

On the other hand, Patent document 2 discloses a multilayer module which is configured by laminating a plurality of active layers made by forming one or more electronic elements and a plurality of conductive traces on a flexible polymer substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, a memory device such as flash memory, DRAM, SRAM including a semiconductor storage element has been known as an electronic component using a laminated chip package. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,557,439 B1 (referred also to as Patent Document 3), a memory device 400 that is an example of the conventional memory device is disclosed. FIG. 36 is a perspective view illustrating the conventional memory device 400. The memory device 400 has a laminated chip package 401 and a controller chip 402. The laminated chip package 401 is bonded to the upper surface of the controller chip 402, whereby the laminated chip package 401 and the controller chip 402 are integrated.

Further, not-illustrated electrode pads are formed on the uppermost surface of the laminated chip package 401, and the electrode pads are connected to not-illustrated electrode pads of the controller chip 402. In FIG. 36, the laminated chip package 401 is illustrated turned upside down.

In the laminated chip package 401, a plurality of semiconductor chips 399 are laminated. The semiconductor chip 399 has many memory cells. A control IC controlling read/write data from/to the many memory cells is formed in the controller chip 402.

On the other hand, in this kind of memory device, the storage capacity of a single memory device can be increased by using a laminated chip package 403 having an increased lamination number of semiconductor chips 399 as illustrated in FIG. 37. The laminated chip package 403 is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,745,259 B2 (referred also to as Patent Document 4).

The conventional memory device is manufactured using the laminated chip package and the controller chip, and the plurality of semiconductor chips 399 are laminated in the laminated chip package.

However, the semiconductor chip 399 and the controller chip 402 are manufactured in completely different processes and have different outside dimensions of the chips and different wiring structures necessary for connection of the electrode pads and so on. Therefore, for example, when the memory device 400 is manufactured, the laminated chip package 401 needs to be manufactured so that the controller chip 402 can be connected thereto.

Since the laminated chip package 401 is manufactured by being cut out of a laminated semiconductor substrate in which a plurality of semiconductor wafers are laminated, every semiconductor wafer being the material thereof needs to be manufactured so that the controller chip 402 can be connected thereto. For example, the arrangement of the electrode pads of the semiconductor wafer needs to be adapted to that of the electrode pads of the controller chip 402.

Therefore, for example, when semiconductor wafers are manufactured so that the controller chip 402 can be connected thereto and a laminated chip package is manufactured using the semiconductor wafers, the laminated chip package can be connected as it is to the controller chip 402. However, the laminated chip package could not be sometimes connected as it is to another controller chip having different wirings.

Accordingly, to enable to connect another controller chip, the manufacturing process of the laminated chip package needs to be changed. Therefore, it is difficult to simplify the manufacturing process.

In short, the prior art matches only with the case of manufacturing a specific memory device but can't match with efficient manufacture of various kinds of memory devices.

The present invention is made to solve the above problem, and it is an object to provide a memory device having a highly-versatile structure capable of manufacturing various kinds of memory devices more in a unit time, a laminated semiconductor substrate for manufacturing the memory device, and manufacturing methods of the same.

To solve the above problem, the present invention is a memory device including a laminated chip package laminated a plurality of memory chips each having a plurality of memory cells and a controller chip having a control circuit controlling read/write from/to the plurality of memory cells, the laminated chip package and the controller chip being laminated, each of the memory chips including: a device region in which the plurality of memory cells are formed; a resin insulating layer made of an insulating resin formed outside the device region; and a plurality of first wiring electrodes connected to the plurality of memory cells and extending from the device region to the top of the resin insulating layer; an interposed chip equal in outside dimension to the memory chip and having no semiconductor element is laminated between the laminated chip package and the controller chip, the interposed chip has a plurality of second wiring electrodes connected to the control circuit and formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller formed on the controller chip, wherein side surfaces of the plurality of memory chips and a side surface of the interposed chip form a common wiring side surface in which the surfaces are joined together without forming a step, and the first wiring electrodes are connected to the second wiring electrodes within the common wiring side surface, and the controller chip is laid on the interposed chip, and the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller are connected to the plurality of second wiring electrodes.

In this memory device, an interposed chip for connecting a controller chip is laminated. The interposed chip is formed as an interposer having no semiconductor element. Further, the interposed chip has a plurality of second wiring electrodes. The second wiring electrodes are formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with that of the wiring electrodes for controller, and therefore when the controller chip is laid on the interposed chip, all of the wiring electrodes for controller are vertically overlaid on the second wiring electrodes. Further, the end faces of the first wiring electrodes together with the end faces of the second wiring electrodes are formed in the common wiring side surface, so that even if the arrangement pattern of the first wiring electrodes is different from that of the wiring electrodes for controller, the first wiring electrodes are connected to the second wiring electrodes on the common wiring side surface and connected also to the wiring electrodes for controller.

Further, the present invention provides a memory device including a laminated chip package laminated a plurality of memory chips each having a plurality of memory cells and a controller chip having a control circuit controlling read/write from/to the plurality of memory cells, the laminated chip package and the controller chip being laminated, each of the memory chips including: a device region in which the plurality of memory cells are formed; a resin insulating layer made of an insulating resin formed outside the device region; and a plurality of wiring electrodes connected to the plurality of memory cells and extending from the device region to the top of the resin insulating layer; side surfaces of the plurality of memory chips form a common wiring side surface in which the surfaces are joined together without forming a step, and the wiring electrodes are connected within the common wiring side surface, where the memory chip laminated on a side closest to the controller chip among the plurality of memory chips is an interposed memory chip, only the plurality of wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip are connected to the control circuit and formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller formed on the controller chip, and the controller chip is laid on the interposed memory chip, and the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller are connected to the wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip.

In the case of this memory device, since one of the plurality of memory chips is the interposed memory chip, the interposed chip as the interposer having no semiconductor element becomes unnecessary.

It is preferable that the above-described memory device further including a plurality of connection electrodes formed on the common wiring side surface along a laminated direction in which the memory chips are laminated, a plurality of first wiring end faces being respective end faces of the first wiring electrodes and a plurality of second wiring end faces being respective end faces of the seconds wiring electrodes are formed on the common wiring side surface, and the first wiring end faces and the second wiring end faces are connected by the respective connection electrodes.

In this memory device, the first wiring electrodes and the second wiring electrodes are connected via the connection electrodes, and the connection electrodes are formed on the common wiring side surface and thus can be formed in a flat shape without forming a step.

Further, in the above-described memory device, it is possible that the interposed chip includes a semiconductor region equal in size to the device region, and a resin insulating layer made of an insulating resin formed outside the semiconductor region, and the second wiring electrodes extend from the semiconductor region to the top of the resin insulating layer.

Further, in case of the above-described memory device, it is preferable that the plurality of first wiring electrodes and the plurality of second wiring electrodes are formed such that the number and the arrangement interval of the plurality of first wiring electrodes are equal to the number and the arrangement interval of the plurality of second wiring electrodes.

Further, in case of the above-described memory device, it is possible that a plurality of rear wiring electrodes connected to the respective connection electrodes are formed on a rear surface side of the laminated chip package.

Further, in case of the above-described memory device, it is preferable that the interposed chip has an outside dimension larger than the outside dimension of the controller chip, and the plurality of second wiring electrodes have corresponding electrode pads corresponding to electrode pads of the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller.

Further, in case of the above-described memory device, it is preferable that the resin insulating layer has a double-layer structure in which an upper insulating layer is laid on a lower insulating layer, and the lower insulating layer is formed using a low-viscosity resin lower in viscosity than an upper resin forming the upper insulating layer.

Further, it is preferable that the memory chip further includes a surface insulating layer formed to cover the plurality of memory cell and constituting a surface layer of the memory chip, and the first wiring electrode is formed in a protruding shape rising above a surface of the surface insulating layer.

Further, the present invention provides a laminated semiconductor substrate in which a second semiconductor substrate is laminated on a laminated substrate laminated a plurality of first semiconductor substrates, the first semiconductor substrate having a plurality of first scribe groove parts formed along scribe lines and a plurality of memory cells formed in a device region in contact with the first scribed groove part, the first semiconductor substrate including: a first in-groove insulating layer formed inside the first scribe groove part; and a plurality of first wiring electrodes connected to the memory cells and extending from the device region to the top of the first in-groove insulating layer, the second semiconductor substrate having a plurality of second scribe groove parts arranged at positions corresponding to the first scribe groove parts, the second semiconductor substrate including: a semiconductor region in contact with the second scribed groove part and equal in size to the device region; and a second in-groove insulating layer formed inside the second scribe groove part; and a plurality of second wiring electrodes extending from the semiconductor region to the top of the second in-groove insulating layer and formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller formed on the controller chip having a control circuit controlling read/write from/to the plurality of memory cells.

Further, in case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is possible that the second semiconductor substrate is formed as an interposed substrate having no semiconductor element formed in the semiconductor region.

Further, in case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is also possible that the second semiconductor substrate is formed as a memory substrate having a plurality of memory cells formed in the semiconductor region.

Further, in case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is preferable that the plurality of first wiring electrodes and the plurality of second wiring electrodes are formed such that the number and the arrangement interval of the plurality of first wiring electrodes are equal to the number and the arrangement interval of the plurality of second wiring electrodes.

Further, in case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is preferable that the plurality of second wiring electrodes have corresponding electrode pads corresponding to electrode pads of the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller.

In case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is preferable that the first scribe-groove parts and the second scribe-groove parts have a wide-port structure in which a wide width part wider in width than a groove lower part including a bottom part is formed at an inlet port thereof.

In case of the above-described laminated semiconductor substrate, it is preferable that the laminated substrate is composed by laminating one or two or more unit laminated substrates in each of which four the first semiconductor substrates are laminated.

Further, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a laminated semiconductor substrate, including the following steps (1) to (4):

(1) a groove part forming step of forming, in each of a plurality of first unprocessed substrates having a plurality of memory cells formed therein, a plurality of first scribe groove parts along scribe lines in a device surface where the plurality of memory cells are formed, and forming, in a single surface of a second unprocessed substrate, a plurality of second scribe groove parts arranged at positions corresponding to the first scribe groove parts;

(2) an insulating layer forming step of forming, in each of the plurality of first unprocessed substrates, a first in-groove insulating layer inside the first scribe groove part by applying an insulating resin to the device surface, and forming, in the second unprocessed substrate, a second in-groove insulating layer inside the second scribe groove part by applying an insulating resin to a groove forming surface where the second scribe groove parts are formed;

(3) a wiring electrode forming step of forming, in the device surface in each of the plurality of first unprocessed substrates, a plurality of first wiring electrodes connected to the plurality of memory cells and extending from a device region in contact with at least one of the plurality of first scribe groove parts to the inside of the first scribe groove part, and forming, in the groove forming surface in the second unprocessed substrate, a plurality of second wiring electrodes extending from a semiconductor region in contact with at least one of the plurality of second scribe groove parts to the inside of the second scribe groove part in a common arrangement pattern in common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller formed on a controller chip having a control circuit controlling read/write from/to the plurality of memory cells

(4) a laminating step of laminating the plurality of first unprocessed substrates and the second unprocessed substrate such that the positions of the first scribe groove parts and the second scribe groove parts are aligned and the groove forming surface of the second unprocessed substrate is arranged on the outermost side.

In case of the above-described method of manufacturing, it is preferable that in the laminating step, a polishing step of polishing a rear surface side of the groove forming surface of the second unprocessed substrate to reduce the thickness of the second unprocessed substrate is performed before the plurality of first unprocessed substrates and the second unprocessed substrate are laminated, and the plurality of first unprocessed substrates are laminated on the rear surface side of the groove forming surface after the polishing step is performed.

Further, in the above-described method of manufacturing, it is preferable that in the wiring electrode forming step, when the plurality of second wiring electrodes are formed, corresponding electrode pads corresponding to electrode pads of the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller are formed.

Further, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a memory device, the laminated semiconductor substrate manufactured by the above-described manufacturing method is cut along the second scribe groove parts to manufacture a laminated chip package, then the controller chip is laid on the groove forming surface side of the laminated chip package, and the wiring electrodes for controller of the controller chip are connected to the second wiring electrodes.

Further, it is preferable that the above-described manufacturing method further includes the following step (5).

(5) a connection electrode forming step of, when manufacturing the laminated chip package, making a resin insulating layer made of an insulating resin and end faces of the first wiring electrodes and the second wiring electrodes appear at a cut surface when the laminated semiconductor substrate is cut along the second scribe groove part, and forming connection electrodes connecting the end faces of the first wiring electrodes and the second wiring electrodes on the cut surface.

Further, it is preferable that the above-described manufacturing method further includes the following step (6).

(6) a rear surface wiring electrode forming step of forming a plurality of rear surface wiring electrodes respectively connected to the connection electrodes on a flat surface on a rear surface side of the laminated chip package.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to be considered as limiting the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an entire memory device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a laminated chip package and an interposer constituting the memory device according in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and a sectional view illustrating an electrode substrate;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the memory device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a memory chip constituting the memory device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the interposer constituting the memory device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a controller chip, seen from bottom surface side, constituting the memory device in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an entire two semiconductor wafers constituting a laminated semiconductor wafer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a device region and a region surrounding it formed in the one side semiconductor wafer in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a device region and a region surrounding it formed in the other side semiconductor wafer in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view mainly illustrating memory cells formed in two semiconductor wafers;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a principal part of the semiconductor wafer in FIG. 9 with a part thereof omitted;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view illustrating the partially manufactured semiconductor;

FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the semiconductor wafer mainly illustrating a groove part, in which (A) shows a state in which a first groove part forming step has been executed, and (B) shows a state in which a second groove part forming step has been executed;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 20, in which (A) shows a state in which a lower insulating layer has been formed and (B) shows a state in which an upper insulating layer and a surface insulating layer have been formed;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken along the line 22-22 in FIG. 15;

FIG. 23 is a sectional view taken along the line 23-23 in FIG. 16;

FIG. 24 is a sectional view taken along the line 24-24 in FIG. 17;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken along the line 25-25 in FIG. 18;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along the line 26-26 in FIG. 19;

FIG. 27 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the other semiconductor wafer in the process of manufacturing the laminated semiconductor wafer and a base;

FIG. 28 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the process subsequent to that in FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the process subsequent to that in FIG. 28;

FIG. 30 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the process subsequent to that in FIG. 29;

FIG. 31 is a sectional view illustrating the memory device and the electrode substrate according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 32 is a plan view illustrating a device region and a region surrounding it formed in the semiconductor wafer for manufacturing the memory device in FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view of the laminated semiconductor wafer according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 34 is a perspective view illustrating the memory chip constituting the memory device in FIG. 31;

FIG. 35 is a perspective view illustrating the entire another semiconductor wafer;

FIG. 36 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the memory device in prior art; and

FIG. 37 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the laminated chip package in prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In the following, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same components will be referred to with the same numerals or letters, while omitting their overlapping descriptions.

First Embodiment

(Structures of Memory Device 100)

To begin with, the structure of a memory device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the entire memory device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a laminated chip package 90 and an interposer 51 constituting the memory device 100. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and a sectional view illustrating an electrode substrate 130. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the memory device 100. FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a memory chip 50 constituting the memory device 100. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the interposer 51. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a controller chip 95, seen from bottom surface side.

The memory device 100 has the laminated chip package 90, the interposer 51 and the controller chip 95. The memory device 100 is constituted by laying the interposer 51 between the laminated chip package 90 and the controller chip 95. Besides, the laminated chip package 90 is constituted by laying eight memory chips 50. As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the laminated chip package 90, the interposer 51 is laid on a controller side (uppermost surface, in FIG. 2), which is closest to the controller chip 95, of eight memory chips 50. In the memory device 100, nine semiconductor chips are laid in all except the controller chip 95.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a plurality of rear wiring electrodes 65 are formed at a bottom surface of the laminated chip package 90 (the memory device 100). Each of the rear wiring electrodes 65 is formed at a position adapted to a wiring 131 of the electrode substrate 130. On the electrode substrate 130, wirings 131 are formed. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the rear wiring electrodes 65 are connected to the wirings 131 by solders 122. As will be described later, the memory device 100 is incorporated in an SSD (Solid State Drive), in which case the memory device 100 is held on the electrode substrate 130 keeping the connection state by the rear wiring electrodes 65 and the wirings 131.

The memory chip 50 is formed as a whole in a thin rectangular plate shape as illustrated in FIG. 5, and its four side surfaces are covered by a resin insulating layer 24. This resin insulating layer 24 has a double-layer structure in which an upper insulating layer 22 a is laminated on a lower insulating layer 23. Further, the upper insulating layer 22 a has a larger depth than that of the lower insulating layer 23 at four side surfaces of the memory chip 50.

The memory chip 50 has device regions 10 formed inside the resin insulating layer 24. Many later-described memory cells 41 are formed in the device regions 10.

Further, in the memory chip 50, the flat surface on one side is the surface 22 c of a surface insulating layer 22, and the plural, three-dimensional wiring electrodes 15 rising above the surface 22 c are formed. The wiring electrodes 15 correspond to first wiring electrode according to an embodiment of the present invention. Besides, end faces 15 c of the wiring electrodes 15 appear as projecting end faces at wiring side surfaces 50A, 50A. The end faces 15 c correspond to first wiring end faces. The end faces 15 c are connected to later-described connection electrodes 60.

Six wiring electrodes 15 are arranged along each of two long sides 50 a of the memory chip 50 at regular intervals. Twelve wiring electrodes 15 in total are formed. Each of the wiring electrodes 15 has an extended terminal part 15 a and an electrode pad 15 b which will be described later. In addition, to widen the device region 10 as much as possible, the length of the extended terminal part 15 a (the depth from the long side 50 a) is made short so that the electrode pad 15 b is close to the long side 50 a. The extended terminal part 15 a extends from the device region 10 to the top of resin insulating layer 24.

Next, the interposer 51 will be described. The interposer 51 corresponds to an interposed chip according to an embodiment of the present invention. The interposer 51 is formed in a rectangular plate shape having the same size as the memory chip 50. The interposer 51 is the same as memory chip 50 in that four side surfaces are covered with the resin insulating layer 24 and a flat surface of one side is the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22. But, the interposer 51 is different in that the semiconductor regions 11 are formed in place of the device regions 10 and a plurality of wiring electrodes 35 are formed in place of a plurality of wiring electrodes 15.

The semiconductor regions 11 have the same size as the device regions 10. However, in the semiconductor regions 11, semiconductor elements such as a memory cell 41, integrated circuit are not formed. Therefore, the interposer 51 does not have semiconductor elements.

Wiring electrodes 35 correspond to second wiring electrodes according to the embodiment of the present invention. Six wiring electrodes 35 are arranged along each long side 51 a at regular intervals as in the memory chip 50. Further, the wiring electrode 35 has an extended terminal part 35 a and an electrode pad 35 b which will be described later. However, the length of the extended terminal part 35 a is longer than the length of the extended terminal part 15 a so that the electrode pad 35 b is far from the long side 51 a.

Assuming that the interval between the electrode pads in a direction crossing the long side is a cross interval and the interval between the electrode pads in a direction along the long side is a long side interval, the cross interval between the electrode pads 35 b is set to W35 a and the long side interval is set to W35 b on the interposer 51 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

The cross interval W35 a is different from the cross interval between the electrode pads 15 b on the memory chip 50, but coincides with a cross interval W95 a between later-described wiring electrodes 97 on the controller chip 95. Thus, the wiring electrodes 35 are formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 97. Further, the electrode pad 35 b is formed at a position corresponding to an electrode pad 97 b of the wiring electrode 97 and thus has a constitution as a corresponding electrode pad. Note that the arrangement pattern will be described later in detail.

The end faces 35 c of the extended terminal parts 35 a appear as projecting end faces in the wiring side surface 51A, 51A. The end faces 35 c correspond to second wiring end faces. The end faces 35 c are connected to the connection electrodes 60.

The wiring side surfaces 51A are joined to the above-described wiring side surfaces 50A of the eight memory chips 50 without forming a step. The wiring side surfaces 51A and the wiring side surfaces 50A of the eight memory chips 50 form two common wiring side surfaces 52. The common wiring side surfaces 52 are flat surfaces.

Next, the controller chip 95 will be described. The controller chip 95 is formed in a rectangular plate shape smaller in outside dimension than the memory chip 50 as illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. 7.

In the controller chip 95, a control IC is formed. The control IC is a control circuit according to the embodiment of the present invention which is an integrated circuit controlling read/write of data from/to many memory cells 41 formed in each memory chip 50. In this embodiment, the memory device 100 is incorporated in an SSD (Solid State Drive). The control IC is disposed between a not-illustrated connection terminal of the SSD and the memory chips 50 and controls read/write of data in each of the memory chips 50.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the controller chip 95 has a plurality of external electrode pads 96 formed on a front surface 95A (a surface opposite to the laminated chip package 90). Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a plurality of wiring electrodes 97 are formed as wiring electrodes for controller on a bottom surface 95B. The wiring electrodes 97 are connected to the control IC. The illustrated wiring electrode 97 does not have an extended terminal part like the extended terminal part 15 a on the bottom surface 95B of the controller chip 95 but has only an electrode pad 97 b. Six wiring electrodes 97 (electrode pads 97 b) are arranged along each of long sides 95 a at regular intervals. Twelve wiring electrodes 97 in total are formed.

These twelve electrode pads 97 b have an original arrangement pattern on the controller chip 95, and this arrangement pattern coincides with the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 35. In other words, the cross interval W95 a of the controller chip 95 coincides with the cross interval W35 a, and the long side interval W95 b coincides with the long side interval W35 b. Since the controller chip 95 and the above-described interposer 51 are equal in the number of electrode pads and the arrangement interval, the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads 97 b in the controller chip 95 coincide with the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads 35 b in the interposer 51. Therefore, in the memory device 100, all of the electrode pads 97 b are connected to the electrode pads 35 b by solders 121.

Meanwhile, the memory device 100 has a plurality of connection electrodes 60 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The connection electrodes 60 are formed on the common wiring side surfaces 52, 52. Each of the connection electrodes 60 is connected to a plurality of end faces arranged on a straight line along the laminated direction (the direction in which the interposer 51 and the eight memory chips 50 are laminated) of the end faces 15 c and the end faces 35 c. Therefore, the end face 35 c of the interposer 51 is connected to the end faces 15 c of the eight memory chips 50 by each of the connection electrodes 60. Further, the connection electrode 60 is connected also to the rear wiring electrode 65. The memory device 100 is configured such that the memory chips 50, the interposer 51 and the controller chip 95 are connected to the wiring electrodes 131 by the rear wiring electrodes 65.

In the memory device 100, connection between the interposer 51 and the eight memory chips 50 is established by the connection electrodes 60. Further, the controller chip 95 is connected to the interposer 51 by the solders 121.

The memory device 100 can realize devices with various storage capacities such as 64 GB (gigabyte), 128 GB, and 256 GB by varying the memory parts in the later-described semiconductor wafer 1. Note that eight memory chips 50 are laminated in the memory device 100. However, the number of the memory chips 50 which are laminated within the memory device 100 is not limited to eight.

In the memory device 100 having the above-described constitution, the laminated chip package 90 and interposer 51 are manufactured by using the later-described semiconductor wafer 1 and a semiconductor wafer 5. A structure of the semiconductor wafer 1 and a structure of the semiconductor wafer 5 are as the following.

(Structures of Semiconductor Wafer)

To begin with, the structure of a semiconductor wafer 1 and the structure of a semiconductor wafer 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, FIG. 13 to FIG. 14. Here, FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the entire the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating a device region 10 and a region surrounding it formed in the semiconductor wafer 1. FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the device region 11 and a region surrounding it formed in the semiconductor wafer 5. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 in FIG. 9. FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a principal part of the semiconductor wafer 1 with a part thereof omitted. FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. 13. Note that in FIG. 8, device regions 10, semiconductor regions 11, groove parts 20, 21 and so on are enlarged for convenience of illustration.

The semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 are composed using a silicon wafer 2. The semiconductor wafer 1 has, as illustrated in FIG. 8, scribe lines 3A and 3B formed on a device surface 1 a of the silicon wafer 2 (the rear surface side of the device surface 1 a is a rear surface 1 b). A plurality of each of the scribe lines 3A and 3B are formed on the device surface 1 a and formed on straight lines at predetermined intervals along certain directions, respectively. The scribe lines 3A are orthogonal to the scribe lines 3B. The semiconductor wafer 5 has also scribe lines 3A and 3B the same as the silicon wafer 1.

The semiconductor wafer 1 corresponds to a first semiconductor substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor wafer 5 corresponds to a second semiconductor substrate. The above-described memory chips 50 are formed by the semiconductor wafer 1, the above-described interposer 51 is formed by the semiconductor wafer 5.

The semiconductor wafer 1 further has groove parts 20 and 21 formed in the device surface 1 a. The groove parts 20, 21 are formed along the scribe lines 3A and 3B. Since the groove parts 20, 21 are formed along the scribe lines 3A and 3B, the groove parts 20, 21 have a constitution as a scribe-groove part of the present invention. The groove parts 20, 21 of the semiconductor wafer 1 have a first scribe-groove part according to the embodiment of the present invention. Besides, the groove parts 20, 21 of the semiconductor wafer 5 have a second scribe-groove part according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that a surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 corresponding to the device surface 1 a is also referred to as a groove forming surface.

In the semiconductor wafer 1, the device region 10 is formed within a rectangular region surrounded by the adjacent groove parts 20, 20 and groove parts 21, 21. The semiconductor wafer 5 is different in that the semiconductor regions 11 are formed in place of the device regions 10, as compared with the semiconductor wafer 1.

The groove part 20 has a groove lower part 20 a and a wide width part 20 b and is formed in a direction almost orthogonal to the device surface 1 a as illustrated in FIG. 14 in detail.

The groove lower part 20 a is a part including a bottom part 20 c of the groove part 20 and having a certain height from the bottom part 20 c (see FIG. 20, FIG. 21 about the bottom part 20 c). The groove lower part 20 a is a lower part of the groove part 20 which a resin relatively hardly enters, and has a width w1 (about 60 μm to about 80 μm) and a depth d1 (about 10 μm to about 40 μm) as illustrated in FIG. 20(A), (B). Inside of the groove lower part 20 a, a lower insulating layer 23 is formed as illustrated in FIG. 11, FIG. 14 and so on.

The wide width part 20 b is a part arranged on the upper side of the groove lower part 20 a in the groove part 20, which is a part including an inlet port 20 d of the groove part 20 and having a certain depth from the inlet port 20 d. The wide width part 20 b is formed wider than the groove lower part 20 a and is formed over the entire length direction of the inlet port 20 d of the groove part 20. In other words, as illustrate in FIG. 20(A), (B), a width w2 of the wide width part 20 b is larger than the width w1 of the groove lower part 20 a (w2>w1). The width w2 of the wide width part 20 b is about 80 μm to about 120 μm, and a depth d2 of the wide width part 20 b is about 10 μm to about 40 μm. Further, an upper insulating layer 22 a is formed inside the wide width part 20 b.

The groove part 21 has a groove lower part 21 a and a wide width part 21 b and is formed in a direction almost orthogonal to the device surface 1 a. The groove lower part 21 a is a part having a certain height from a bottom part similarly to the groove lower part 20 a, and has the same width and depth as those of the groove lower part 20 a. Inside the groove lower part 21 a, the lower insulating layer 23 is formed as in the groove lower part 20 a. The wide width part 21 b is a part arranged on the upper side of the groove lower part 21 a. The wide width part 21 b is formed wider than the groove lower part 21 a and has the width and the depth similar to those of the wide width part 20 b. The upper insulating layer 22 a is formed inside the wide width part 21 b as in the wide width part 20 b.

As described above, the groove parts 20 and 21 have a wide-port structure in which the wide width part 20 b and the wide width part 21 b wider than the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a are formed at the respective inlet ports. In addition, a resin insulating layer 24 having a double-layer structure in which the upper insulating layer 22 a is laminated on the lower insulating layer 23 is formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21.

The semiconductor wafer 1 has a surface insulating layer 22 as illustrated in detail in FIG. 11. The semiconductor wafer 5 has the surface insulating layer 22 as the same with the semiconductor wafer 1.

The surface insulting layer 22 is formed to cover the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11 and thus the surface insulting layer 22 covers almost the whole device surface 1 a of the semiconductor wafer 1, the whole groove forming surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 to constitute a surface layer of the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5. The surface insulating layer 22 has a larger thickness than that of a later-described protecting insulating layer 31 and has a surface 22 c formed flat. The surface insulating layer 22 is disposed at the outermost position of the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 except for parts where wiring electrodes 15, wiring electrodes 35 are formed.

Further, the surface insulating layer 22 is structured integrally with an upper insulating layer 22 a formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21, and is thus formed in one body without joints between the upper insulating layer 22 a and other parts. The surface insulating layer 22 is formed with a plurality of contact holes 22 b, and one wiring electrode 15 or one wiring electrode 35 is formed in each of the contact holes 22 b.

The surface insulating layer 22 can be formed using a resin such as an epoxy resin or a polyimide resin, or an insulating material made of silicon silicate glass (SOG) or the like. In this embodiment, a case using a resin for the surface insulating layer 22 is discussed. It is especially preferable to form the surface insulating layer 22 using a resin having a low thermal expansion coefficient. This ensures that when the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 are cut along the groove parts 20 and 21 by a dicing saw, the cutting can be easily performed.

The lower insulating layer 23 is formed also using a resin similarly to the surface insulating layer 22. The lower insulating layer 23, however, is formed using a low-viscosity resin having a lower viscosity than that of the resin forming the surface insulating layer 22.

The semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have a silicon substrate 30 composed of the silicon wafer 2, and upper parts thereof are the device regions 10, the semiconductor region 11. A plurality of connecting pads 32 are formed on the surface of the device region 10, and a part other than the connecting pads 32 is covered with the protecting insulating layer 31. The semiconductor region 11 is covered with the protecting insulating layer 31. Connecting pads 32 are not formed in the semiconductor region 11.

The protecting insulating layer 31 is disposed under the surface insulating layer 22 and formed to cover the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11. The protecting insulating layer 31 is made of silicon dioxide (SiO₂) or the like, and has connecting holes 31 a formed at positions where the connecting pads 32 are to be formed. The connecting holes 31 a are formed to expose the connecting pads 32 so as to connect the later-described wiring electrodes 15 to the connecting pads 32. The connecting pads 32 are connected to a memory cell 41 in the device region 10 (see FIG. 12 for details).

The device region 10, the semiconductor region 11 are a rectangular region surrounded by the adjacent groove parts 20, 20 and the groove parts 21, 21 as illustrated in detail in FIG. 9, FIG. 10. A plurality of the device regions 10, the semiconductor regions 11 are formed on the first surface 1 a, groove forming surface and each of them is a unit region divided from adjacent regions by the groove parts 20 and 21.

Each of the device regions 10 has the memory part formed on the first surface 1 a by performing wafer process, and a plurality of wiring electrodes 15 are formed. Since a plurality of the memory cells 41 are formed in the memory part, the semiconductor wafer 1 has a constitution as a memory substrate. Note that the wafer process means a manufacturing process of forming a semiconductor element and an integrated circuit on the wafer such as the silicon wafer 2 or the like.

A semiconductor element such as a memory cell or the like is not formed on the groove forming surface side of the semiconductor regions 11. The semiconductor wafer 5 is a semiconductor substrate for forming the interposer 51. The semiconductor wafer 5 has a constitution as an interposed substrate. A plurality of the wiring electrodes 35 are formed in the semiconductor regions 11.

Next, the wiring electrode 15, the wiring electrode 35 will be described. The wiring electrode 15 is made of a conductive material such as Cu or the like. The wiring electrode 15 has an extended terminal part 15 a and a rectangular electrode pad 15 b having wider width than the extended terminal part 15 a, and the extended terminal part 15 a and the rectangular electrode pad 15 b have, as a whole, a protruding structure rising above the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22 into a three-dimensional shape. A width of the electrode pad 15 b along the surface 22 c is formed wider than a width of the extended terminal part 15 a along the surface 22 c.

The wiring electrode 15 is illustrated in detail in FIG. 13 and so on in addition to FIG. 11. An end face 15 g of the extended terminal part 15 a of the wiring electrode 15 is a projecting end face projecting outward from the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22. Further, the wiring electrode 15 has a cross side surface 15 d, a top end face 15 e, and an embedded part 15 f.

The cross side surface 15 d is a side surface part projecting outward from the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22 and crossing with the surface 22 c to rise up from (almost intersecting to) the surface 22 c. The top end face 15 e is connected to the cross side surface 15 d and projects outward from the surface 22 c, and further has a rectangular part disposed in a direction along the surface 22 c and a band-shaped part extending from the rectangular part in a direction along the surface 22 c toward the groove part 20. The embedded part 15 f is a part embedded inward from the surface 22 c to connect to the connecting pad 32.

The electrode pad 15 b is composed of the cross side surface 15 d, the top end face 15 e, and the embedded part 15 f, and the extended terminal part 15 a is composed of the cross side surface 15 d and the top end face 15 e.

The electrode pad 15 b is connected to the connecting pad 32 via the contact hole 22 b and the connecting hole 31 a which are arranged to be stacked one on the other, and has a depth reaching the connecting pad 32. More specifically, the electrode pad 15 b has a height (an expanded height) h15 expanded from the top end face 15 e outer than the surface 22 c to the connecting pad 32 via the contact hole 22 b and the connecting hole 31 a. The expanded height h15 is larger than a height h32 of the connecting pad 32 (h15>h32). For example, h15 is about 2 to 6 μm, and h32 is about 0.5 to 1 μm.

The wiring electrodes 15 are formed along adjacent groove parts 20, 20 of the device region 10. The six wiring electrodes 15 are positioned at identical interval along groove parts 20, 20. Besides, in the adjacent device region 10, the wiring electrodes 15 are arranged so as to face each other.

Further, in the wiring electrodes 15, one parts of the extended terminal parts 15 a extend from the device region 10 into the groove part 20. More specifically, the extended terminal parts 15 a are formed such that their respective parts on their tip sides apart from the electrode pads 15 b bulge out from an edge part (the above-described inlet port 20 d) of the groove part 20 and stay inside the groove part 20 in the width direction. Further, the extended terminal parts 15 a are formed such that their respective parts extending out from the device region 10 are in a protruding shape rising above the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 13, FIG. 14, the extended terminal parts 15 a bulge out from both sides in the width direction of the groove part 20 such that the end faces 15 g are opposed to each other with slight separation therebetween near the middle in the width direction of the groove part 20.

Meanwhile, the wiring electrode 35 is also made of a conductive material such as Cu or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the wiring electrode 35 has an extended terminal part 35 a and a rectangular electrode pad 35 b, and the extended terminal part 35 a and the electrode pad 35 b have, as a whole, a protruding structure like the wiring electrode 15. An end face of the extended terminal part 35 a of the wiring electrode 35 is a projecting end face projecting outward from the surface 22 c.

However, since a length of the extended terminal part 35 a is longer than a length of the extended terminal part 15 a, the electrode pad 35 b are arranged inside the semiconductor region 11 away from the groove part 20. The electrode pads 35 b are arranged at a position which is near a center of the semiconductor region 11. In the semiconductor wafer 5, the electrode pads 35 b are arranged at a position which is near a center of the semiconductor region 11, the twelve electrode pads 35 b are formed with a common arrangement pattern common with an electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95.

The semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have the extended terminal parts 15 a and the extended terminal parts 35 a. Therefore, in the cut surfaces when the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 are cut along the groove parts 20, the end faces 15 c and 35 c appear projecting outward from the surface 22 c.

In addition, the number of the wiring electrodes 15 formed on the semiconductor wafer 1 is equal to the number of the wiring electrodes 35 formed on the semiconductor wafer 5. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, twelve wiring electrodes 15 are formed in each device region 10, whereas twelve wiring electrodes 35 are formed in each semiconductor region 11. Further, the planer shapes (the shapes drawn on a plane) of the wiring electrodes 15 formed in the device region 10 are the same, and the planer shapes (the shapes drawn on a plane) of the wiring electrodes 35 formed in the device region 11 are the same. Furthermore, the long side interval between the electrode pads 15 b coincides with the long side interval between the electrode pads 35 b.

However, the lengths of the extended terminal part 15 a and the extended terminal part 35 a are different, and the cross interval between the electrode pads 15 b and the cross interval between the electrode pads 35 b are different. Accordingly, the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads 15 b on the semiconductor wafer 1 is different from the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads 35 b on the semiconductor wafer 5. The arrangement pattern here is a pattern decided depending on the number and the arrangement interval of the electrode pads constituting the wiring electrodes and means the arrangement form of the electrode pads indicating how the electrode pads are arranged in the device region 10 or the semiconductor region 11.

Meanwhile, in the memory part of the device region 10, a number of memory cells 41 as the semiconductor devices are formed. The memory cell 41 has a structure as illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a sectional view mainly illustrating memory cells 41 of two semiconductor wafers 1.

To the memory cell 41, the wiring electrodes 15 are connected via the connecting pads 32. The memory cell 41 is formed on the surface of an N-type substrate 71 constituting the semiconductor wafer 1. In FIG. 12, two memory cells 41 are laminated one on the other via an adhesive layer 33A. The adhesive layer 33A is formed by an adhesive used when the semiconductor wafers 1 are bonded together.

Each of the memory cells 41 constitutes a flash memory and is formed on a P-type well 72 which is formed on the surface of the N-type substrate 71. The memory cell 41 has a source 73A and a drain 73B, insulating layers 77, an insulating film 81, a floating gate 82, an insulating film 83 and a control gate 84. The memory cell 41 further has a source electrode 74, a drain electrode 76 and a gate electrode 75.

Both of the source 73A and the drain 73B are N-type regions and connected with the source electrode 74 and the drain electrode 76, respectively. The insulating layers 77 are formed with contact holes for connecting the connecting pads 32 to the source electrode 74 and the drain electrode 76, respectively. The source electrode 74, the gate electrode 75, and the drain electrode 76 are connected to the source 73A, the control gate 84 and the drain 73B via the corresponding contact holes, respectively.

(Method of Manufacturing Semiconductor Wafer)

Subsequently, the method of manufacturing the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 having the above-described structure will be described with reference to FIG. 15 to FIG. 26. Here, FIG. 15 is a plan view illustrating the partially manufactured semiconductor wafer, FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 15. FIG. 17 to FIG. 19 is a plan view illustrating the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in the order. FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the semiconductor wafer mainly illustrating the groove part, in which (A) shows a state in which a first groove part forming step has been executed, and (B) shows a state in which a second groove part forming step has been executed. FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the semiconductor wafer subsequent to that in FIG. 20, in which (A) shows a state in which the lower insulating layer has been formed and (B) shows a state in which the upper insulating layer and the surface insulating layer have been formed. FIG. 22 to FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken along the line 22-22, the line 23-23, the line 24-24, the line 25-25, the line 26-26 in FIG. 15 to FIG. 19, respectively. Note that hatching is given to the surface insulating layer 22 in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19 for convenience of illustration. Besides, since forming steps of semiconductor wafer 1 are about the same as forming steps of semiconductor wafer 5, an illustration of the semiconductor wafer 5 is omitted in FIG. 15 to FIG. 26.

For manufacturing the semiconductor wafer 1, to begin with, eight wafers (first unprocessed wafers) are prepared which has memory parts and a plurality of connecting pads 32 formed in the device regions 10 by performing wafer process. For manufacturing the semiconductor wafer 5, one wafer (second unprocessed wafer) are prepared which semiconductor regions 11 are formed.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 22, the protecting insulating layer 31 is formed on the device surface 1 a for the first unprocessed wafer, and then the connecting holes 31 a are formed at the locations in the protecting insulating layer 31 where the connecting pads 32 are to be formed. Besides, regarding the second unprocessed wafer, the protecting insulating layer 31 is formed on the groove forming surface.

Next, regarding the first unprocessed wafers and the second unprocessed wafer, the groove parts 20 and 21 are formed along the scribe lines 3A and 3B by performing a groove part forming step. The groove parts 20 and 21 are formed by the dicing saw. The groove parts 20 and 21 may be formed by etching such as the reactive ion etching or the like.

When the groove part forming step is performed, the following first groove part forming step and second groove part forming step are sequentially executed.

In the first groove part forming step, as illustrated in FIG. 15, FIG. 20(A), and FIG. 22, groove parts (first groove parts 120) having a first width and a first depth are formed in the device surface 1 a along the scribe lines 3A and 3B using a not-shown first blade (cutting blade). In the first groove part 120, a part having a certain height from its bottom part will form the groove lower part 20 a or the groove lower part 21 a afterward. Here, the first width, which is the above-described width w1, is about 60 μm to about 80 μm, and the first depth, which is the depth d0 illustrated in FIG. 20(A), is about 40 μm to about 80 μm.

Subsequently, the second groove part forming step is executed. In the second groove part forming step, as illustrated in FIG. 16, FIG. 20(B), and FIG. 23, second groove parts 123 are formed at the inlet ports of the first groove parts 120 along the entire length direction of the first groove parts 120 using a not-shown second blade. The second groove part 123 has a second width and a second depth. The second width, which is the above-described width w2, is about 80 μm to about 120 μm, and the second depth, which is the above-described depth d2, is about 10 μm to about 40 μm. The second width is larger than the first width, and the second depth d2 is shallower than the first depth d0 (d0>d2). By forming the second groove parts 123, parts having a certain height from the bottom parts of the first groove parts 120 form the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a, and parts on the upper side of the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a form the wide width parts 20 b and the wide width parts 21 b, respectively.

Then, an insulating layer forming step is executed. In the insulating layer forming step, prior to application of a resin for forming the surface insulating layer 22 (referred also to as a resin for surface layer), a low-viscosity resin having a viscosity lower than that of the resin for surface layer is applied to the device surface 1 a, the groove forming surface, regarding the eight first unprocessed wafers and the second unprocessed wafer. Then, the low-viscosity resin is uniformly spread over the device surface 1 a, the groove forming surface using a not-shown spin coater. The low-viscosity resin has a high flowability because it is purling due to its low viscosity. Therefore, the low-viscosity resin surely enters the inside of the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a which a resin relatively hardly enters. In addition, due to the formation of the wide width parts 20 b and 21 b on the upper side of the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a respectively, the low-viscosity resin more easily enter the inside of the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 17, FIG. 21(A), and FIG. 24, the low-viscosity resin remaining inside the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a forms the lower insulating layer 23. Note that the low-viscosity resin not only enters the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21 but also sometimes remains outside the groove parts 20 and 21 (for example, on the upper side of the protecting insulating layer 31) though illustration of the low-viscosity resin remaining outside the groove parts 20 and 21 is omitted.

Next, regarding the eight first unprocessed wafers and the one second unprocessed wafer, a resin for surface layer is applied to the entire device surface 1 a, groove forming surface as illustrated in FIG. 18, FIG. 21(B), and FIG. 25. Then, the applied resin for surface layer is uniformly spread over the device surface 1 a, the groove forming surface using the not-shown spin coater. The resin for surface layer is, for example, epoxy resin, polyimide resin or the like and is higher in viscosity and lower in flowability than the low-viscosity resin. Therefore, the resin for surface layer hardly enters the inside of a groove part having a narrower width and a deeper depth. However, the wide width parts 20 b and 21 b are formed at the inlet ports of the groove parts 20 and 21. Thus, the resin for surface layer easily enters the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21.

By the application of the low-viscosity resin prior to the application of the resin for surface layer, the lower insulating layer 23 has been formed in the groove lower parts 20 a and the groove lower parts 21 a. Therefore, when the resin for surface layer enters the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21, by the resin for surface layer, an insulating layer different from the lower insulating layer 23 is formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21. This insulating layer forms the upper insulating layer 22 a. Thus, the resin insulating layer 24 having the double-layer structure is formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21. The resin insulating layer 24 of the semiconductor wafer 1 corresponds to a first in-groove insulating layer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The resin insulating layer 24 of the semiconductor wafer 5 corresponds to a second in-groove insulating layer according to the embodiment of the present invention,

Subsequently, regarding the eight first unprocessed wafers and the one second unprocessed wafer, each surface is polished to be planarized. Thus, the surface insulating layer 22 is formed. The parts of the applied resin for surface layer entered into the groove parts 20 and 21 form the upper insulating layer 22 a, so that the surface insulating layer 22 is formed integrally with the upper insulating layer 22 a.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 19, FIG. 26, regarding the eight first unprocessed wafers, the contact holes 22 b are formed in the surface insulating layer 22 to expose the connecting pads 32. Thereafter, a wiring electrode forming step is performed to form the wiring electrodes 15 regarding the eight first unprocessed wafers. Regarding the second unprocessed wafer, the wiring electrodes 35 are formed. The wiring electrodes 15 are formed in a shape having the above-described protruding structure and including the extended terminal parts 15 a. The wiring electrodes 35 are formed in a shape having the above-described protruding structure and including the extended terminal parts 35 a. Besides, the electrode pads 35 b are formed with the above-described common arrangement pattern regarding the second unprocessed wafer. The wiring electrodes 15, 35 can be formed, for example, in the procedure as follows.

First, a not-shown seed layer for plating is formed on the surface insulating layer 22. Next, a frame (not shown) including groove portions is formed on the seed layer. The frame is formed, for example, by patterning a photoresist by the photolithography. Further, plating layers which will be parts of the wiring electrodes 15 and 35 are formed within the groove parts of the formed frame and on the seed layer. Subsequently, the frame is removed, and a part of the seed layer other than the part which exists under the plating layer is removed by etching. By the above processing, the wiring electrodes 15 and 35 can be formed of the plating layer and the seed layer under the plating layer.

Because, the wiring electrodes 15 and 35 are formed after the formation of the surface insulating layer 22, the extended terminal parts 15 a and 35 a are formed in a manner that they are wholly disposed on the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22. The electrode pads 15 b are formed such that their peripheral parts are disposed upper side of the surface 22 c and their center parts are embedded inward from the surface 22 c to connect with the connecting pads 32. The electrode pads 35 b are disposed upper side of the surface 22 c.

Through the above process, the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 having the above-described structure can be manufactured. In the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the groove parts 20 and 21 have the wide-port structure so that a liquid resin easily enters the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21. Therefore, when forming an insulating layer inside the groove parts 20 and 21 using a liquid resin, the resin surely enters the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21. This eliminates a situation that an unfilled part (air gap) that is not filled with the resin is formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21. In short, the whole inside of the groove parts 20 and 21 is filled with the resin.

In the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the lower insulating layer 23 and the upper insulating layer 22 a are formed of the resin filled without forming such an air gap. More specifically, the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have the groove parts 20 and 21 having a structure in which the inside of the groove parts 20 and 21 is filled with the insulating layer composed of a plurality of resins such as the low-viscosity resin and the resin for surface layer with no space (this structure is referred to as a “filled structure”).

Incidentally, when manufacturing the memory device 100 using the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, it is necessary to laminate a plurality of semiconductor wafers 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 (described later for detail). For this reason, the load caused by the semiconductor wafers 1 laminated at the upper part acts on the semiconductor wafer 1 laminated at the lower part, and the load also acts on the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a. Parts on the tip end side of the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a are extended from the device region 10, semiconductor region 11 and located on the upper side of the groove part 20. Therefore, when the load from above acts on the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a, the tip end side of the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a extending from the inlet port 20 d of the groove part 20 are likely to bow downward.

In the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, however, the groove parts 20 and 21 have the filled structure, so that the lower insulating layer 23 and the upper insulating layer 22 a never move inside the groove parts 20 and 21, and therefore the position of the surface 22 c of the surface insulating layer 22 never shifts. The surface insulating layer 22, the upper insulating layer 22 a, and the lower insulating layer 23 are supporting members supporting the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a, and their positions never shift so that the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a are surely supported by the surface insulating layer 22, the upper insulating layer 22 a, and the lower insulating layer 23 (see FIG. 14). Accordingly, the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a are never deformed and can surely keep their original shapes even when the load from above acts thereon. Thus, by using the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the electrical connection of the memory device 100 can be surely established (described later for detail).

Further, in the groove parts 20 and 21, the wide width parts 20 b and 21 b are formed over the entire length direction of their inlet ports 20 d. Therefore, the resin easily enters the inside of the whole groove parts 20 and 21. Thus, the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a which are not deformed can be formed at any part of the groove parts 20 and 21.

Since the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a of the groove parts 20 and 21 are located closer to the bottom parts, a resin relatively hardly enters them as compared to other parts. Hence, in the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the lower insulating layer 23 is formed inside the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a using the low-viscosity resin. The low-viscosity resin has a high flowability and therefore surely enters even a part hard to enter. Accordingly, the low-viscosity resin is very suitable for making the groove parts 20 and 21 in the filled structure. As described above, by using the low-viscosity resin in the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the filled structure of the groove parts 20 and 21 is more surely formed.

On the other hand, the resin for surface layer is higher in viscosity and lower in flowability than the low-viscosity resin. Therefore, if the groove parts 20 and 21 are composed only of the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a and not in the wide-port structure, the resin for surface layer stays near the inlet port of the groove part 20 (21) and hardly enters the inside thereof. Then, an air gap in which no resin exists appears inside the groove parts 20 and 21 to cause the surface insulating layer 22 on the upper side of the groove parts 20 and 21 to bend. Further, since the resin for surface layer has a low flowability, it is difficult to make the groove part 20 (21) in the filled structure even if the groove part 20 (21) is widened about the width. Accordingly, it is difficult to avoid the situation that the air gap appears inside the groove part 20 (21) as well as to avoid the deformation of the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a by using only the resin for surface layer.

Hence, when manufacturing the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5, the low-viscosity resin is applied to the device surface 1 a, groove forming surface prior to the application of the rein for surface layer. This makes it possible to fill the inside of the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a which a resin relatively hardly enters and the resin for surface layer is difficult to enter, with the low-viscosity resin before the inlet ports 20 d of the groove parts 20 and 21 are closed with the resin for surface layer. Thus, occurrence of the air gap is completely eliminated, so that the filled structure of the groove parts 20 and 21 can be more surely obtained.

Furthermore, the upper insulating layer 22 a and the surface insulating layer 22 can be formed using the same resin in the same one step, and therefore the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 can be easily manufactured.

(Method of Manufacturing Laminated Semiconductor Wafer and Memory Device)

By using the semiconductor wafers 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 having the above-described structure, a laminated semiconductor wafer 98 and the memory device 100 can be manufactured. The laminated semiconductor wafer 98 corresponds to a laminated semiconductor substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the laminated semiconductor wafer 98, a laminated memory substrate 97 is laminated to the one semiconductor wafer 5. The laminated memory substrate 97 corresponds to a laminated substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the laminated memory substrate 97, the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated. By using the laminated semiconductor wafer 98, the memory device 100 can be manufactured. The method of manufacturing the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 and the memory device 100 will be described using FIG. 27 to FIG. 30 as follows.

Here, FIG. 27 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the partially manufactured laminated semiconductor wafer 98 and a base 34. FIG. 28 to FIG. 30 is a plan view similar to FIG. 11, illustrating the process subsequent to that in the order.

By performing a laminating step after manufacturing the eight semiconductor wafers 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 as mentioned above, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 can be manufactured. The laminated semiconductor wafer 98 has a structure which the laminated memory substrate 97 is laminated to the one semiconductor wafer 5.

The laminating step is performed by laying the eight semiconductor wafers 1 in order on the one semiconductor wafer 5. First, as illustrated in FIG. 27, an insulating adhesive is applied on the groove forming surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 to fix it to the base 34. In FIG. 27, the adhesive layer 33 made of the adhesive applied at this time is shown. The base 34 is a member for supporting the semiconductor wafer 1, and a glass plate is used for the base 34 in FIG. 27.

Subsequently, the rear surface 1 b of the semiconductor wafer 5 is polished until the groove parts 20 and 21 appear so that the thickness of the semiconductor wafer 5 is decreased as illustrated in FIG. 27.

Next, the semiconductor wafer 1 is bonded to the rear surface 1 b side of the semiconductor wafer 5 as illustrated in FIG. 28 using an adhesive. In this event, position adjustment of the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor wafer 1 is performed such that the positions of the groove parts 20 and 21 of both of them coincide with each other. Then, the rear surface 1 b of the semiconductor wafer 1 is polished until the groove parts 20 and 21 appear.

Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 29, regarding other semiconductor wafer 1, a process of bonding it to the rear surface 1 b side of the semiconductor wafer 1 which already laminated and polishing it (a bonding and polishing process) is performed.

When such a bonding and polishing process is performed regarding the eight semiconductor wafers 1 in total, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 can be manufactured, as illustrated in FIG. 30. In the laminated semiconductor wafer 98, a part which the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated is the laminated memory substrate.

Since the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is manufactured by using the semiconductor wafers 1 and semiconductor wafer 5, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 has the same structure as the above-described semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5.

In the above description, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is manufactured by sequentially laminating the eight semiconductor wafers 1 one by one on the semiconductor wafer 5. However, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 may be manufactured by manufacturing the semiconductor wafer 5 reduced in thickness by polishing the rear surface 1 b, and then laminating the laminated memory substrate 97 on the semiconductor wafer 5. In this case, the laminated memory substrate 97 can be manufactured in advance by laminating the eight semiconductor wafers 1 in the above-described manner. As a matter of course, the laminated memory substrate 97 may be manufactured by laminating four semiconductor wafers 1, or may be manufactured by laminating two semiconductor wafers 1.

Namely, the number of semiconductor wafers 1 which will be laminated in the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 according to this embodiment can be relatively easily changed. Since many memory cells 41 are formed in the semiconductor wafer 1, the storage capacity of the memory device which will be manufactured is also changed according to the change of the number of the semiconductor wafers 1.

Furthermore, it is also adoptable to use the laminated memory substrate 97 in which the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated as a unit laminated substrate, and laminate a plurality of the unit laminated substrates to form a laminated semiconductor wafer. For example, in the laminated semiconductor wafer in which two unit laminated substrates are laminated, 16 semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated. In three unit laminated substrates, 24 semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated. Accordingly, the number of the semiconductor wafers 1 which are laminated within the laminated semiconductor wafer is a multiple of 8.

Furthermore, it is also adoptable to use the laminated memory substrate in which the four semiconductor wafers 1 are laminated as a unit laminated substrate, and laminate a plurality of the unit laminated substrates to form a laminated semiconductor wafer. In this case, the number of the semiconductor wafers 1 which are laminated within the laminated semiconductor wafer is a multiple of 4.

When the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is constituted using the above-described unit laminated substrate, the number of units according to the capacity of a memory required in the memory device can be easily found. Further, the capacity of the memory in the memory device can be easily varied only by varying the lamination number of unit laminated substrates. For example, when one unit is formed to provide 64 GB, memories of 128 GB and 256 GB can be realized only by varying the lamination number of units. Note that since all multiples of 8 are multiples of 4, it is preferable to laminate the four semiconductor wafers 1 to form the unit laminated substrate.

Then, when the memory device 100 is manufactured, the following process is performed continuously about the laminated semiconductor wafer 98.

To begin with, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts 20 and 21. Thus, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are divided into every the device region 10, device region 11 laminated in the laminated direction. By this, device blocks in a block-like shape are manufactured.

In this device block, the one interposer 51 and the eight memory chips 50 are laminated. When the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is manufactured, position adjustment of the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor wafers 1 is performed such that the positions of the groove parts 20 and 21 of both of them coincide with each other. Therefore, by cutting of the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 along the groove parts 20 and 21, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is divided into every block surrounded by the adjacent groove parts 20 and 21. The each block is the device block.

Then, as has been described, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are polished until the respective groove parts 20, 21 appear. Inside each of the groove parts 20, 21, the lower insulating layer 23 and the upper insulating layer 22 a are formed. Therefore, in the device block, four side surfaces are covered by the lower insulating layer 23 and the upper insulating layer 22 a, namely, the resin insulating layer 24 in each of the interposer 51 and the eight memory chips 50.

Further, when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts 20, 21, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the eight semiconductor wafers 1 are cut together, and therefore four flat cut surfaces appear. In addition, since the wiring electrodes 15 and the wiring electrodes 35 are extended to the top of the resin insulating layer 24, the end faces 15 c, 35 c of the wiring electrodes 15 and the wiring electrodes 35 appear at the cut surfaces. A pair of opposite cut surfaces of the four cut surfaces are the above-described common wiring side surfaces 52, 52. The end faces 15 c, 35 c are arranged on straight lines along the laminated direction on the common wiring side surfaces 52.

Accordingly, the wiring electrodes 15 on each of the semiconductor wafers 1 can be electrically connected to the wiring electrodes 35 on the semiconductor wafer 5 by forming the band-shape connection electrodes 60 along the laminated direction on the common wiring side surfaces 52 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Thereafter, when the rear surface wiring electrodes 65 are formed on the bottom surface of the device block, namely, the rear surface side of the memory chip 50 laminated on the lowermost side, the laminated chip package 90 on which the interposer 51 is laminated can be manufactured.

Further, the controller chip 95 is laid on the interposer 51. In this case, the electrode pads 97 b are formed on the bottom surface 95B of the controller chip 95. Therefore, the bottom surface 95B is directed toward the interposer 51 side, and the electrode pads 97 b are then connected to the electrode pads 35 b of the interposer 51 by the solders 121. Thus, the memory device 100 can be manufactured.

(Operation and Effect of Laminated Semiconductor Wafer 98 and Memory Device 100)

As described above, the memory device 100 can be manufactured by laying the controller chip 95 on the interposer 51 and connecting the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 to the electrode pads 35 b of the interposer 51. The eight memory chips 50 are laminated in the laminated chip package 90, and each of the memory chips 50 and the controller chip 95 are manufactured by completely different processes. Therefore, the memory chip 50 and the controller chip 95 are different in outside dimension and also different in the arrangement pattern of electrode pads necessary for connection with the external part.

Therefore, when the interposer 51 is not laminated on the laminated chip package 90, wiring electrodes need to be additionally formed on either the memory chip 50 or the controller chip 95 so that the arrangement pattern of the memory chip 50 coincides with the arrangement pattern of the controller chip 95.

When the electrode pad 15 b of the memory chip 50 is connected to the electrode pad 97 b of the controller chip 95 by solder, it is necessary that the positions of both the electrode pads coincide and both the electrode pads are overlaid one on the other. However, if the arrangement patterns of the electrode pads are different, the positions of both the electrode pads are out of alignment. Therefore, only one of the plurality of electrode pads 97 b (for example, only one of twelve electrode pads 97 b) can be overlaid on the electrode pad 15 b, but all of the electrode pads 97 b cannot be overlaid on the electrode pads 15 b. Accordingly, electrode pads which cannot be connected to the electrode pads (referred also to as unconnectable electrode pads) emerge in the plurality of electrode pads 97 b, failing to complete the memory device.

Hence, in the memory device 100, the interposer 51 is laminated between the controller chip 95 and the laminated chip package 90 outside the eight memory chips 50. This interposer 51, in which semiconductor elements such as memory cell or the like are not formed, has a plurality of wiring electrodes 35, and the wiring electrodes 35 are formed in the arrangement pattern (the common arrangement pattern) in common with the arrangement pattern of the controller chip 95. Therefore, when the controller chip 95 is laid on the interposer 51, all of the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 can be arranged on the electrode pads 35 b of the interposer 51, thereby eliminating emergence of the unconnectable electrode pads.

Accordingly, the solders 121 can be used to connect all of the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 to the electrode pads 35 b of the interposer 51. Further, since the interposer 51 is larger in outside dimension than the controller chip 95, the length of the extended terminal part 35 a can be adjusted within a wider range in the interposer 51. If the controller chip 95 is larger in outside dimension than the interposer 51, the cross interval between the electrodes pads 97 b may exceed the cross interval between the electrode pads 35 b so that all of the electrode pads 97 b are not likely to be able to be connected to the electrode pads 35 b. However, in the memory device 100, all of the electrode pads 97 b fall within the outer periphery of the interposer 51 to eliminate the possibility of the above-described situation.

As described above, since the interposer 51 for connecting the controller chip 95 is laminated in the memory device 100, it is unnecessary to change the structure and the manufacturing process of the memory chip 50 so that the arrangement of the electrode pads 15 b is adapted to the electrode pads 97 b. Therefore, the memory device 100 has a highly-versatile structure capable of simplifying the manufacturing process. Further, for example, in the case where a controller chip having an arrangement pattern of the electrode pads different from that of the electrode pads 97 b is used, when the positions of the electrode pads are laterally changed along the long side direction, it is only necessary to manufacture the interposer in the arrangement pattern in common with the arrangement pattern of the electrode pads. In this case, only the structure and the manufacturing process of the interposer need to be changed, and the structure and the manufacturing process of the memory chip 50 do not need to be changed. The memory chip 50 can be manufactured in the same structure and the same manufacturing process as those before the change. Accordingly, a memory device has the structure like the memory device 100 and thereby enables simplification of the manufacturing processes of various kinds of memory devices. Therefore, the memory device 100 matches with efficient manufacture of various kinds of memory devices and is thus excellent in mass production.

On the other hand, the respective end faces 35 c, 15 c of the wiring electrodes 35 of the interposer 51 and the wiring electrodes 15 of the memory chips 50 appear at the common wiring side surfaces 52 and are connected via the connection electrodes 60. Therefore, the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 are connected to the electrode pads 35 b of the interposer 51, whereby the controller chip 95 is connected to each of the memory chips 50 via the connection electrodes 60. The interposer 51 functions as an interface for connecting the controller chip 95 to each of the memory chips 50. Accordingly, in the memory device 100, read/write of data from/to the memory cells 41 of the memory chips 50 can be surely performed by control of the control IC of the controller chip 95.

As described above, the memory device 100 can be manufactured by laying the various kinds of memory chips having different arrangement patterns of the wiring electrodes owing to lamination of the interposer 51 for connecting to the controller chip 95, and is increased in versatility to be able to manufacture various kinds of memory devices. Further, by laying the controller chip 95 on the interposer 51, the solders 121 can be used to connect the controller chip 95, thus eliminating excessive load on the process for connecting the controller chip 95. Accordingly, the memory device 100 can be simplified in manufacturing process and also reduced in manufacturing time.

Further, if the lamination number of the memory chips 50 is increased from eight so as to increase the storage capacity of the memory device 100, the controller chip 95 can be connected to all of the memory chips 50 only by laminating the interposer 51. Accordingly, the increase in storage capacity of the laminated chip package 90 never increases the load on the process for connecting the controller chip 95.

Meanwhile, the memory device 100 is manufactured using the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5. The plurality of wiring electrodes 15 of the semiconductor wafer 1 and the plurality of wiring electrodes 35 of the semiconductor wafer 5 have the respective extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a, and therefore the respective end faces 15 c, 35 c appear at the common wiring side surfaces 52. In addition, since the wiring electrodes 15 and the wiring electrodes 35 are formed such that the number and the arrangement interval of the wiring electrodes 15 and the number and the arrangement interval of the wiring electrodes 35 are equal, the end faces 15 c, 35 c appear arranged in straight lines along the laminated direction. Accordingly, the interposer 51 can be connected to the eight memory chips 50 by forming the connection electrodes 60 in a band-shape along the laminated direction on the common wiring side surfaces 52, thereby simplifying the process required for connection of the interposer 51.

Further, the rear wiring electrodes 65 are formed in the rear surface side of the laminated chip package 90, the rear wiring electrodes 65 are connected to the connection electrodes 60. Therefore, the eight memory chips 50 and the controller chip 95 are able to connect to the electrode substrate 130 by the rear wiring electrodes 65.

The laminated semiconductor wafer 98 for manufacturing the memory device 100 can be manufactured by laminating the semiconductor wafers 1 on the semiconductor wafer 5. By manufacturing the laminated memory substrate 97 in advance by laminating only the semiconductor wafers 1, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 can be obtained by laminating the laminated memory substrate 97 on the semiconductor wafer 5. Accordingly, if a large variety of laminated memory substrates 97 different in the lamination number of the semiconductor wafers 1 are manufactured in advance for manufacturing a laminated semiconductor wafer 98, a large variety of laminated semiconductor wafers 98 can be efficiently manufactured. Since the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 can be changed in the number of the memory cells 41 included therein by changing the lamination number of the semiconductor wafers 1, the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is very preferable in manufacturing a large variety of memory devices 100 different in storage capacity.

Meanwhile, when cutting the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 along the groove parts 20, 21, the groove parts 20, 21 are cut along cut lines CL illustrated in FIG. 14. Then, the extended terminal parts 15 a (also the extended terminal parts 35 a) are cut along the cut lines CL. Further, as described above, the resin insulating layer 24 has been formed inside the groove parts 20 and 21 in each semiconductor wafer 1, semiconductor wafer 5. Therefore, the section of the insulating layer of the double-layer structure (the section of the insulating layer is referred also to as an “insulating section”) appears in a cut surface when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts 20 and 21. The insulating section is in the double-layer structure in which an insulating section 22 d that is the section of the upper insulating layer 22 a is laminated on an insulating section 23 c that is the section of the lower insulating layer 23.

Further, the wide width parts 20 b and 21 b are formed wider than the groove lower parts 20 a and 21 a in each semiconductor wafer 1, semiconductor wafer 5. Therefore, the upper insulating layer 22 a has a depth larger than that of the lower insulating layer 23 at four side surfaces of the device block. This depth means a distance d11 between the insulating section 22 d and the inner side surface of the wide width part 20 b (21 b) and a distance d12 between the insulating section 23 c and the inner side surface of the groove lower part 20 a (21 a) in the device block (also in the memory device 100, the memory chip 50 and the interposer 51) as illustrated in FIG. 14. The distance d11 is larger than the distance d12 and therefore d11>d12.

By the way, the memory device 100 is manufactured by forming the connection electrodes 60 on the common wiring side surface 52. The end faces 15 c and 35 c connected by the connection electrodes 60 are formed in a manner to project upward from the surface 22 c.

At the time of forming the connection electrodes 60, the mask pattern for forming the connection electrodes 60 needs to be accurately placed, but the memory device 100 is able to be manufactured even if the position adjustment of the mask pattern is roughly performed. Even with the rough position adjustment, the connection electrodes 60 connecting the vertically arranged plural end faces 15 c are able to be formed.

More specifically, in the memory device 100, the alignment does not need to be performed with high accuracy when forming the connection electrodes 60. Therefore, the process after the device block in the rectangular parallelepiped shape is obtained are able to be simplified, thereby simplifying the whole manufacturing process of the memory device 100. Accordingly, the manufacturing time of the memory device 100 is able to be reduced. This can increase the number of memory device 100 manufacturable in a unit time, resulting in a reduced manufacturing cost of the memory device 100.

The reason why the alignment does not need to be performed with high accuracy in case of forming the connection electrodes 60 is given as follows.

First of all, the device block has four side surfaces composed of cut surfaces when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut. In one of the cut surfaces, the end faces 15 c and 35 c appear as end faces projecting similarly to the end faces 15 g (see FIG. 13 for details). This is because of the following reason. Note that the end face projecting is also referred to as a projecting end face in this embodiment.

The wiring electrodes 15, 35 of each of the semiconductor wafers 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have the extended terminal parts 15 a, the extended terminal part 35 a respectively. The extended terminal parts 15 a and the extended terminal parts 35 a are extended inside the groove parts 20. For this reason, when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts 20, 21, the extended terminal parts 15 a and the extended terminal parts 35 a are also cut. Further, the end faces 15 c, 35 c formed when the extended terminal parts 15 a, the extended terminal parts 35 a are cut appear at one of the cut surfaces.

On the other hand, the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a are formed in the protruding shape similarly to the electrode pads 15 b, 35 b having the expanded height h15. Therefore, the end faces 15 c, 35 c appear as projecting end faces projecting upward from the surface 22 c.

For the connecting pads 32, a case where terminal parts extending to the inside of the groove part 20 are formed is discussed here (the terminal parts are referred to as virtual terminal parts). In this case, end faces of the virtual terminal parts will appear at the side surface of the device block.

However, the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a have top end faces common with the electrode pads 15 b and 35 b having the expanded height h15 and are formed to be larger in thickness than the connecting pads 32. For this reason, the end faces 15 c, 35 c will appear having a larger size than the end faces of the above-described virtual terminal parts. In the device block, the end faces 15 c, 35 c having such a large size appear arranged in the vertical direction, so that the end faces 15 c are easily connected to each other and the end faces 35 c are also easily connected to each other. It is only necessary for the connection electrodes 60 to connect the end faces 15 c or the end faces 35 c. Therefore, the position adjustment of the mask pattern may be roughly performed at the time when the connection electrodes 60 are formed. For this reason, in the device block, the alignment does not need to be performed with high accuracy in case of forming the connection electrodes 60.

On the other hand, the large size of the end faces 15 c, 35 c means that the sectional areas of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 have been expanded. Accordingly, the resistance values of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 are able to be decreased. This causes the current flowing through the wiring electrodes 15, 35 to easily flow, so that the power consumption of the memory device 100 is also able to be reduced.

Thus, the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have the wiring electrodes 15, 35 as described above, whereby the manufacturing process of the memory device 100 are able to be simplified to reduce the manufacturing time.

Further, because the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 have the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a extending inside of the groove parts 20, the end faces 15 c, 35 c are able to appear at the cut surfaces when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts 20. In other words, by cutting the laminated semiconductor wafer 98, in which the semiconductor wafers 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 are laminated, along the groove parts 20, the end faces 15 c, 35 c are able to be obtained.

Therefore, in case of using the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5, it is unnecessary to separately provide another process in order to make the wirings connecting to the device regions 10, semiconductor region 11 appear at the cut surfaces. If the wiring electrodes 15, 35 do not have the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a, the wiring electrodes 15, 35 are not able to be cut even by cutting the laminated semiconductor wafer along the groove parts 20. Therefore, only by cutting the laminated semiconductor wafer along the groove parts, the wirings connecting to the device regions 10 are not able to be made to appear at the cut surfaces. Thus, in order to make such wirings appear at the cut surfaces, another process needs to be performed.

However, in the case of using the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5, the end faces of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 are able to be made to appear at the cut surfaces when the laminated semiconductor wafer 98 is cut along the groove parts, and therefore it is unnecessary to separately perform a process for making the wirings appear at the cut surfaces. Consequently, the manufacturing process of the memory device 100 is able to be further simplified by using the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5.

Further, the wiring electrodes 15, 35 are formed to rise above the surface insulating layer 22. Therefore, when the end faces 15 c, 35 c appear at the cut surface, the end faces 15 c located one above the other are arranged via the surface insulating layer 22 and the end faces 35 c located one above the other are arranged via the surface insulating layer 22. Accordingly, a situation that the memory chips located one on the other short-circuit is able to be prevented.

In addition, because the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a have a narrow-width structure having narrower widths than those of the electrode pads 15 b, 35 b, many wiring electrodes 15, 35 are able to be arranged in the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11. Accordingly, the wiring density of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 are able to be increased in the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5. Furthermore, the memory parts of each device region 10 are formed on the same plane in the semiconductor wafer 1, so that the alignment error is 0 (zero).

The above memory device 100 is manufactured by laminating the semiconductor wafers 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5. Therefore, the wiring electrodes 15, 35 of the each memory chip 50, the interposer 51 are surely supported by the surface insulating layers 22, the upper insulating layers 22 a and the lower insulating layers 23, and are never deformed due to bending downward.

Because there is no deformation of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 in the memory device 100, the end faces 15 c, 35 c of the wiring electrodes 15, 35 surely appear at determined positions having determined sizes in the each memory chip 50, the interposer 51. If the extended terminal parts 15 a, 35 a are deformed due to bending downward, their angles with respect to the wiring side surface 50A, 51A may change to cause an insufficient contact between the end faces 15 c, 35 c and the connection electrodes 60. However, there is no such possibility in the memory device 100, the memory chip 50 and the interposer 51.

Accordingly, the end faces 15 c of the memory chip 50 and the end faces 35 c of the interposer 51 are able to be surely connected with each other by the connection electrodes 60 in the memory device 100. Therefore, the memory device 100 has a very high reliability of electrical connection. By manufacturing the memory device 100 using the semiconductor wafer 1 and the semiconductor wafer 5 as describe above, the reliability of electrical connection of the memory device 100 is able to be enhanced.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 31 is a sectional view, similar with FIG. 3, illustrating a memory device 300 and the electrode substrate 130 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The memory device 300 is different in that it has a laminated chip package 290 in place of the laminated chip package 90 and that the interposer 51 is not laminated, as compared with the memory device 100. The laminated chip package 290 is different in that a memory chip 53 is laminated in place of the one memory chip 50 among the eight memory chip 50, as compared with the laminated chip package 90. That is, in the laminated chip package 290, the one memory chip 53 and the seven memory chips 50 are laminated.

The memory chip 53 is laminated on the uppermost surface closest to the interposer 51 of the seven memory chips 50 and corresponds to the interposed memory chip according to the embodiment of the present invention. The memory chip 53 is different in that twelve wiring electrodes 25 are formed in place of the twelve wiring electrodes 15 as compared with the memory chip 50 as illustrated in FIG. 34. In the case of the memory chip 53, the device region 10 is formed as an interposed device region. Each of the twelve wiring electrodes 25 has an extended terminal part 25 a and an electrode pad 25 b. Further, an end face 25 c of the extended terminal part 25 a appears as a projecting end face at a wiring side surface 53A similar to the wiring side surface 50A. However, the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 25 is different from the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 15. The arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 25 is the common arrangement pattern in common with the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 97 in the controller chip 95. The extended terminal part 25 a is longer than the extended terminal part 15 a, and the electrode pad 25 b is arranged inner than the electrode pad 15 b.

In addition, the memory chip 53 is manufactured by using a semiconductor wafer 6 insulated in FIG. 32. This semiconductor wafer 6 is different in that it has wiring electrodes 25 as compared with the semiconductor wafer 1. The wiring electrodes 25 are formed with the common arrangement pattern in common with the arrangement pattern of the wiring electrodes 97.

On the other hand, the interposer 51 for connecting to the controller chip 95 is laminated in the memory device 100, but the interposer 51 is not laminated in the memory device 300. However, in place of the interposer 51, the memory chip 53 is laminated. In the memory chip 53, the wiring electrodes 25 are formed in the common arrangement pattern. Only the memory chip 53 is formed in the common arrangement pattern. Therefore, when the controller chip 95 is laid on the laminated chip package 290, the wiring electrode 25 and the wiring electrode 97 are arranged to be overlaid one on the other. Accordingly, all of the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 can be arranged on the electrode pads 25 b of the memory chip 53, thus eliminating emergence of the unconnectable electrode pads.

Accordingly, all of the electrode pads 97 b of the controller chip 95 can be connected to the electrode pads 25 b of the memory chip 53 through use of the solders 121. Since only the memory chip 53 is formed in the common arrangement pattern in the memory device 300, it is only necessary to change the structure and the manufacturing process of only the memory chip 53, and it is unnecessary to change the structure and the manufacturing process of the other seven memory chips. Therefore, the memory device 300 also has a highly-versatile structure capable of simplifying the manufacturing process.

Moreover in the memory device 300, the interposer 51 is not laminated. Therefore, an outside dimension of the memory device 300 can be made small. Further, the number of semiconductor chips which are laminated within the memory device 300 is small, so that a time required for lamination of the semiconductor wafer is able to be reduced, many memory devices 100 is able to manufacture in a unit time. Further, since a material for plating or the like is able to be reduced, cost for manufacturing of the memory device 300 is able to be reduced.

In addition, the memory device 300 is able to be manufactured by using a laminated semiconductor wafer 198 illustrated in FIG. 33. This laminated semiconductor wafer 198 is different in that the semiconductor wafer 6 is laminated in place of the semiconductor wafer 5 and the number of semiconductor wafer 1 which are laminated is seven, as compared with the laminated semiconductor wafer 98.

(Method of Manufacturing Laminated Semiconductor Wafer 198 and Memory Device 300)

When the laminated semiconductor wafer 198 is manufactured, the semiconductor wafer 6 is used in place of the semiconductor wafer 5. The rear surface 1 b of the semiconductor wafer 6 is polished so that the thickness of the semiconductor wafer 6 is decreased by a procedure similar to the procedure for manufacturing the laminated semiconductor wafer 98. Next, the seven semiconductor wafers 1 are laid on the rear surface 1 b of the semiconductor wafer 6 by the procedure similar to the procedure for manufacturing the laminated semiconductor wafer 98. Thus, the laminated semiconductor wafer 198 is able to be manufactured.

After that, the laminated semiconductor wafer 198 is cut along the groove parts 20 and 21. Subsequently, forming of the connection electrodes 60 and a connection of the controller chip 95 are performed by the same procedure as the memory device 100. By this, the memory device 300 is able to be manufactured.

Other Embodiments

A semiconductor wafer 111 will be described with reference to FIG. 35. In the above-described semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor wafer 6, the groove parts 20 and 21 are formed. The semiconductor wafer 111 is different from the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor wafer 6 in that groove parts 21 are not formed but only groove parts 20 are formed. Accordingly, the semiconductor wafer 111 is formed such that a plurality of groove parts 20 are arranged at regular intervals and the groove parts are formed in the shape of stripes not intersecting with each other. Further, the groove parts 20 may be formed along every other scribe line 3A, they are not illustrated.

In the semiconductor wafer 1, the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor wafer 6, the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11 are in contact with the four groove parts 20 and 21, so that the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11 are in contact with the groove parts 20 and 21 in the four directions, that is, upper, lower, right and left directions. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 5, 6, 34, the memory chip 50, 53, the interposer 51 are covered by the resin insulating layer 24 at the four side surfaces.

In contrast, in the semiconductor wafer 111, the device region 10, the semiconductor region 11 are in contact with the groove parts 20 only in the two, that is, right and left directions. Accordingly, following memory chip or interposer are obtained by using a semiconductor wafer in which the groove parts are formed in the shape of stripes as in the semiconductor wafer 111. This memory chip or the interposer has two sets of opposite side surfaces. But, only one set of side surfaces are covered by the insulating layer.

Though the wiring electrodes 15, the wiring electrodes 35 have the protruding structure in the above embodiments, the present invention is also applicable to a laminated semiconductor substrate and memory device including wiring electrodes that do not have the protruding structure. Further, terminal parts in a structure across the groove part may be formed in adjacent two device regions 10, semiconductor region 11 in place of the extended terminal parts 15 a. Furthermore, the scribe-groove part may not have the wide-port structure, unlike the groove part 20, 21.

This invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments but various changes and modifications of its components may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Besides, it is clear that various embodiments and modified examples of the present invention can be carried out on the basis of the foregoing explanation. Therefore, the present invention can be carried out in modes other than the above-mentioned best modes within the scope equivalent to the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A memory device comprising a laminated chip package laminated with a plurality of memory chips each having a plurality of memory cells and a controller chip having a control circuit controlling read/write from/to the plurality of memory cells, the laminated chip package and the controller chip being laminated, wherein each of the memory chips is made of wafer and comprises: a device region in which the plurality of memory cells are formed; a resin insulating layer made of an insulating resin formed outside the device region, the resin insulating layer having a double-layer structure in which an upper resin insulating layer is laminated in a lower resin insulating layer and the lower resin insulating layer is formed using a low-viscosity resin lower in viscosity than a resin forming the upper resin insulating layer; and a plurality of wiring electrodes connected to the plurality of memory cells and extending from the device region to the top of the resin insulating layer; wherein side surfaces of the plurality of memory chips form a flat common wiring side surface in which the surfaces are joined together without forming a step, and the wiring electrodes are connected within the common wiring side surface, wherein where the memory chip laminated on a side closest to the controller chip among the plurality of memory chips is an interposed memory chip, only the plurality of wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip are connected to the control circuit and formed in a common arrangement pattern in common with an arrangement pattern of a plurality of wiring electrodes for controller formed on the controller chip, wherein the controller chip has an outside dimension smaller than that of the interposed memory chip and is laminated inside the device region of the interposed memory chip in plan view thereby forming a step between the side surface of the controller chip and the side surface of the interposed memory chip, such that the side surface of the controller chip is not included in the common wiring side surface, and wherein the controller chip has an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface facing an upper surface of the interposed memory chip, and portions of the wiring electrodes for controller and portions of the plurality of wiring electrodes are sandwiched between the lower surface of the controller chip and the upper surface of the interposed memory chip such that the lower surface of the controller chip is distanced from the upper surface of the interposer memory chip by a gap, wherein the controller chip is laid on the interposed memory chip, and the plurality of wiring electrodes for controller are connected to the wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip.
 2. The memory device according to claim 1, further comprising: a connection electrode formed on the common wiring side surface, where the memory chips are connected to the interposed memory chip with the connection electrode on the common wiring side surface, and the connection electrode is not connected to the side surface of the controller chip.
 3. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the gap has a height determined by heights of the sandwiched portions of the wiring electrodes for controller and the sandwiched portions of the plurality of wiring electrodes in addition to heights of solders between the sandwiched portions of the wiring electrodes for controller and the sandwiched portions of the plurality of wiring electrodes, the wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip are overlaid with the wiring electrodes for controller, and the wiring electrodes of the interposed memory chip and the wiring electrodes for controller are connected with solders.
 4. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein the upper resin insulating layer has a depth larger than a depth of the lower resin insulating layer.
 5. The memory device according to claim 1, wherein each of the memory chips further comprises a surface insulating layer formed to cover the device region and constituting a surface layer of the memory chip, and the surface insulating layer is formed using the same resin as the resin of the upper resin insulating layer such that the surface insulating layer and the upper resin insulating layer form an integral body.
 6. The memory device according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of wiring electrodes are formed in a protruding shape rising above a surface of the surface insulating layer. 